MEMS devices are utilized in a variety of environments. MEMS devices may encounter damage, such as chipping, typically induced by mechanical shock as structures bump into one another depending on their arrangement.
FIG. 1 sets forth a typical arrangement of two devices placed proximate to one another in a MEMS device. From FIG. 1, a MEMS structure 105 is situated near a current-profile MEMS device 130. The typical appearance of chipping damage induced by the structures where bumping with one another due to mechanical shock may occur is identified at 150. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that chipping damage may occur where two structures (105, 130) make contact with each other when mechanical shock is applied and can be found from an actuator layer surface facing a second substrate (not shown). It will be further appreciated that chipping damage may often be more problematic on the side that is facing for example a substrate because chipped silicon pieces may fall on to the metal electrodes on the substrate and create the opportunity for electrical shorts between electrodes that intended to be isolated.
Unfortunately, with ever-increasing density demands for chip placement in circuitry, the potential for chipping damage and electrical short situations are increasing such that increasing dimensional placement between devices is not a viable option. What is therefore desired is a device and method that overcomes these challenges and provides for arranging MEMS in proximity to one another, in densely-packed arrangements, with unique sidewall or substrate configurations that reduce the likelihood of chipping and electrical shorting.